The One
by Brianna Aisling
Summary: Songfic to Shakira's The One


The One  
  
By Shakira  
  
So I find a reason to shave my legs  
  
Each single morning  
  
So I count on someone  
  
Friday nights to take me dancing  
  
And then to church on Sundays  
  
To plant more dreams  
  
And someday think of kids  
  
Or maybe just to save a little money  
  
  
  
Akane ran the brush through her hair, gazing at her reflection as she did so. She was cute. Her eyes were large and a deep brown. Her eyelashes were long and framed her eyes in such a way that she would never need eyeliner. Her nose turned up slightly at the end giving her a sort of innocence. Her lips were full and curved sweetly, at least when she was smiling. Her hair was soft and when it caught the light, her naturally blue highlights shone through. So, why did he call her uncute? It couldn't be an attack on her looks. Not that it mattered. It hurt no matter what it meant.  
  
She sighed and put her brush down. Her family and the Saotomes were waiting for her. As soon as she sat down, Ranma and his father began their normal battling routine. Akane rolled her eyes at them but held her tongue. Ranma finished eating before she did and sped from the room to do his last minute getting ready. She saw him zoom by the door and hastily shoved the last of her food down her throat. She smiled softly to herself when she saw him waiting by the door for her, his shoes on, his bag in hand. He smiled back and cocked his head at the door, a silent 'Let's go.'  
  
She may not know what he meant by uncute, but she almost certainly knew what this ritual meant. He cared for her at the very least. She had come to expect him to be waiting for her at the door in the morning and at the school's gate after school. She had come to expect him to be waiting for her always. He would be there no matter what to walk her to and from school.  
  
And she loved him for it.  
  
  
  
You're the one I need  
  
The way back home is always long  
  
But if you're close to me  
  
I'm holding on  
  
You're the one I need  
  
My real life has just begun  
  
Cause there's nothing like  
  
Your smile made of sun  
  
In a world full of strangers  
  
You're the one I know  
  
  
  
Ranma stood self-consciously beside Akane as she chatted with a local vendor. He listened to her talk about the man's wife and children, one of whom she used to baby-sit. The man recounted tales for her of their latest adventures and Akane filled him in on her plans for college. He had known her family since her mother and father had moved into the neighborhood and had actually witnessed Nabiki's birth.  
  
It made Ranma uncomfortable to witness such closeness. It made him acutely aware of the fact that there was no one to hear stories from about himself. The only person he had been around for most of his life was his father and his father had basically destroyed any chance for the sort of tales that he and Akane were listening to. All his life had ever been was training.  
  
Akane said good-bye and tugged on Ranma's arm, pulling him back into reality and away from the vendor. He followed her still distracted. She smiled up at him sweetly and kept her arm wrapped around his. Ranma felt his cheeks heat up. God, he loved her smile. He smiled back and she turned her attention back to the errand Kasumi had asked them to run. Ranma let himself sink back into his thoughts, but this time they flowed in an entirely new direction.  
  
He realized that while he didn't have the stories of childhood, his and Akane's children probably would. His and Akane's children...since when had he known that he and Akane would have children? He gazed down at Akane, a smile tugging on his lips. Yes, his and Akane's children would have those memories and stories. He wouldn't dare take his children away from their mother, not that he'd ever be able to leave their mother for that long. She was the only reason he'd ever come home from any of his training trips.  
  
He did not know many people here in Nerima but he knew Akane, and that was all that mattered.  
  
  
  
So I learn to cook  
  
And finally lose my kitchen phobia  
  
So I've got the arms to cuddle in  
  
When there's a ghost or a muse  
  
That brings insomnia  
  
  
  
Akane blushed and held the serving spoon to her chest in delight. A smile blossomed on her face and Ranma also blushed. He smiled at her and chuckled as he ate another bit of her food. For once, for the first time, Akane had cooked something edible. It wasn't great; it could barely be counted as good, but it was edible and with the way Akane was smiling, Ranma was going to eat all of it. Just to see that smile.  
  
He had eaten her food. He had eaten her food! He had EATEN HER FOOD!! Akane hugged herself and fell back against her pillow, giggling in delight. She wanted to scream and jump around and shout. She was so happy. He had eaten her food. And not just a couple of bites, almost the whole thing. Akane laughed out loud and rolled over onto her stomach to hug her pillow. She fell asleep like that, a small smile on her face.  
  
Someone was in her room; she could feel it in her sleep. The person wasn't moving; he was just sitting there on the floor, probably watching her. Akane sighed sleepily and opened her eyes. She wasn't startled to see Ranma's face come into focus. He was gazing at her sadly, his eyes shining. She sighed to herself. He'd had another one of his nightmares. Wordlessly, she shifted backwards and opened her arms to him. He crawled into her embrace and after a while, began to sob. She murmured softly to him, stroking his hair and reassuring him that she was okay, that she would always be okay if he were around. Eventually his tears slowed, but he did not sleep. He lay there, holding her and talking to her, doing what he had been unable to do until her death.  
  
  
  
To buy more thongs  
  
And write more happy songs  
  
It always takes a little help from someone  
  
  
  
Ranma glared at this new challenger. How dare she! Ranma was the best! He was the best in everything, damn it! And that included being a woman. He accepted her challenge. And then realized that he knew nothing of being a woman beyond flirting. What had he gotten himself into now?  
  
Akane shook her head but opened her door widely to let Ranma-chan in. The redhead bounced into her room and onto her bed, eyes eager and ears perked for her first lesson on how to be a woman.  
  
Akane laughed as Ranma-chan fumed. She just could not get past the flirty behavior. Akane was trying to teach her how to be demure; something that Ranma had doubted Akane could do, until the dark-haired girl had done it. And then Ranma had been begging for lessons. Akane wiped the tears from her eyes and resumed her position by Ranma and began once again.  
  
Ranma-chan smiled sweetly at the woman, her attitude a contrast to her sharp words. Silently Ranma thanked Akane for a job well done. This bitch was going down!  
  
  
  
You're the one I need  
  
The way back home is always long  
  
But if you're close to me  
  
I'm holding on  
  
You're the one I need  
  
My real life has just begun  
  
Cause there's nothing like  
  
Your smile made of sun  
  
  
  
Akane looked down at NekoRanma. He was asleep, his breathing calm and even. She stroked his hair, reaching down slightly to rub behind his ears, causing him to purr in his sleep. Akane smiled and laid back against the tree she was near. Strange how things had changed so much since their failed wedding. He had begun to open up to her more and more. It had been slow and difficult. It had taken her a while to get past his denying what she had been so sure she'd heard.  
  
He'd had a nightmare a week and a half after the wedding and she'd woken up to find him sobbing by her bedside. There had been only one time she'd known him to cry so it wasn't difficult to figure out what his nightmare had been about. That night she hadn't done much more than stroke his hair and let him cry. When he was calm he'd gone back to his room. A month later and he would stay in her room and sleep on her floor. Another half a month and they'd begun to stay up and talk. Two months later, he'd begun to sleep in her bed, this spurred by an especially horrible nightmare; he'd been unable to let go of her hand and she'd given in against her better judgment and let him sleep beside her. The next time he'd had a nightmare she'd let him crawl into her bed again. A few more nightmares and they'd continued to have their midnight discussions. Through all of this he would leave her before anyone woke up and caught them.  
  
Six months after the first nightmare and Ranma had blushingly told her how he felt. It was obvious by this point. They had grown so close that the other girls had begun to take desperate actions, only to be met by a furious Ranma. They'd backed down and were still waiting for a final answer, but not asking for one. Akane had snuggled into his chest, hiding her face and answered him with the same words.  
  
He'd stayed the rest of the night and into the next morning.  
  
  
  
You're the one I need  
  
You're the one I need  
  
With you my real life has just begun  
  
You're the one I need  
  
Nothing like your smile made of sun  
  
Nothing like your love  
  
Nothing like your love  
  
Nothing like your love 


End file.
